Hiring A Narrowboat Before You Buy

If you are contemplating buying a narrow boat but have never experienced a day on the water before, then we suggest that you hire a narrow boat to get the feel of what it's like.


Buying a narrow boat is a big investment, one of the largest next to buying a house or a car, so knowing what to expect from the purchase is a wise move.

A great way to try a narrow boat is to hire one for a holiday or long weekend. Of course when you are looking to buy a narrowboat you will have the opportunity to go aboard and have a look around, but by hiring a narrowboat you will get a real insight of what boating is like.

A good hire company will go through the basics with you before you set off on your journey,  giving you a full tour of the hire vessel. They will explain how everything works and provide you and your family with life jackets. They can also provide you with different routes to follow, and to tell you the estimated time it will take to get to get to points of interest along the way.

They may also take you through a lock so that everyone on board knows what they are doing and following good practice. On the way to the first lock you can practice steering, turning, mooring etc.

Narrowboats can be hired for short breaks or longer trips with prices starting from around £399 for a weekend mini-break.

We highly recommend hiring before you buy, boating isn’t for everyone and it would be a very costly mistake if it isn’t for you.